


Try What's Local

by soniclipstick (veriscence)



Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), Marvel
Genre: 5 +1 things, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Too many game references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-10
Packaged: 2018-07-22 18:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7450333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veriscence/pseuds/soniclipstick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or five times Union Jack got the shovel talk from Loki’s friends and the one time he didn’t.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Try What's Local

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UniqueB](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniqueB/gifts).



> Not beta'd. Mistakes are all mine.

**Tony**

Brian’s testing out his jet packs when Tony slides up to him on his skateboard. “What’s this I hear about you agreeing to going out on a date with Loki, of all people?” Tony asks him, eyebrows raised — the perfect addition to the comically outraged expression gracing his face.

“Well, he said he was the master of dance and wanted to show me.”

“Oh please. If anyone’s the master of dance, it’s Cap and Falcon; those two spend hours dancing.” Tony huffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “And I’m the lazy one.”

 The hoverboard wobbles, and two seconds later, Tony flails his arms as he tries to regain balance.

“Was that why you were throwing money at Cap at Club A?” Brian asks, because Tony’s crush is cute and pathetic and so very obvious. Brian’s been on campus for a week and a half and even he’s noticed the way Tony trails after Cap. It’s a shame that Cap and his wartime buddy are so close.

“I was being ironic, but whatever. The point I’m trying to make it that you show up on campus, and okay you’re batting for the other cricket team – is it even called batting in cricket? – whatever. THE POINT IS. If you’re not going to hit on the hottest woman on campus, you could at least hit on the hottest man.” Tony points to himself. “Like hello. I’ve been voted most eligible bachelor by _Teen Vogue_. Twice.”

“Impressive,” Brian says flatly. “So you’re offended I didn’t make a pass at you?”

“Well yeah. Then again, you’re British. There’s no accounting for terrible taste,” Tony muses as they make their way through quad. T’Challa and Bucky are training, and Tony watches appreciatively before zooming ahead. “Are you coming or what, Doctor?”

“I don’t have a Ph.D,” Brian tells him, but follows anyway. “I don’t even have a Master’s.”

“No, I meant like Doctor Who, genius. Has anyone told you that you look a bit like the Eleventh Doctor? Ten’s _my_ Doctor, but that Matt Smith… I could just eat him up. And you decide to date the Asgardian that can turn blue.”

“It was just a dance,” Brian says defensively. He’s not really sure Loki and he are dating. They danced and then Loki decided he was going to plot domination and Brian hasn’t seen him in eight hours since then.

“JUST a dance? If you shatter that sparkly ice heart of his and he decided to oh I don’t know — actually plot domination instead of set off fireworks near my Tower, it’s on your head. And I’ll totally make like an Avenger and assemble. Got it?”

“Uh. Yes?” Brian says. “So to clarify, you’re annoyed I didn’t flirt with you, Matt Smith is a total babe, and don’t hurt Loki or I’m a dead duck.”

“Yep. Glad that was cleared up. I gotta head to the Timeless Archives. Jan keeps falling asleep and she really needs to study for the physics quiz next week. See you around, Doctor?”

“Cheers, Tony.”

Brian flies higher as Tony races to the Timeless Archives. Falcon’s in the air, testing out his newest set of wings.

“You look really confused man,” Sam tells him.

“I was hanging out with Tony.”

“That explains everything. Wanna see how high we can take these babies?”

“Bloody heck, yes.”

**Jan**

Brian’s testing antidotes at the Pym Lab when Jan finds him. She plops up on the lab table, legs swinging and two cups of coffee in her hands. She’s really pretty, but she has a terrifying smile on her face and it’s starting to wig him out a little bit. “Shouldn’t you be learning from Professor Pym?” Brian asks.

“Yeah but he got distracted by Reed Richards and now I have a free period.”

“I thought you’d have more fun at the blasting range.”

“I would, but Tony and Bucky are bonding over their feelings again. Besides I just trained with Loki in the Arena of War, a coffee break is totally in order. I just wanted to drop by and say hi! Welcome to the Academy!”

At the mention of Loki, Brian can feel his cheeks heat up. _Damn it, English genes, suppress my feelings and make me act calm and collected already!_

“Thanks. Again.”

“Sure thing! I got you a cappuccino. I hope you like cappuccinos. We can’t be friends if you don’t like cappuccinos.” Jan hands one out with a glare.

“Ta.” Brian actually likes espressos better but his sense of self-preservation isn’t completely non-existent so he takes the paper cup. “Anyways good luck with finding antidotes. If you need anything, Madam Hydra has a couple of snakes that might help you. Or not. I’m not sure. They’re venomous though. So call me if you need help snake wrangling. Oh, and one more thing. If you hurt Loki I’ll blast you to kingdom come. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Janet grins. “Yes, _ma’am. Yes,_ ma’am. Oh I like the sound of that. Wanna come hang with me at the beach when you’re done here?”

“Sure.”

“Yay! Okay but first we go get more cappuccinos.”

-

At this point, it seems that more Avengers Academy students believe that Brian and Loki are dating than Brian himself does. It’s probably high time he looks into finding Loki, but it’s not easy, even for a spy like him, when Loki has the advantage of being able to leave the planet to visit his parents over the weekend.

Brian goes to the dorm and dumps himself in his bed. Dane looks at him from his side of the dorm room. “What’s the matter with you?”

“ASDF…. Gahhh.”

“Did you just say asdaff?”

“Bloody heck, leave me alone, man.”

Dane sighs, and heads downstairs. “I’ll get you dinner from the mess hall.”

-

Loki’s all mischievous eyes and sarcasm. He’s the very definition of arrogance. But he’s also got the prettiest smile Brian’s ever seen, though he’s only seen it once.

And he really is a great dancer.

**Natasha**

Brian’s the one of the first people to be awake on campus on a Saturday morning. Cap’s doing some damage to the punching bag, and Groot is having some bird troubles in his groove, but no one else is to be seen. He’s sitting on the couch outside, downing his second cup of tea when he sees a big brown cardboard box on the pathway. It moves slowly, then stops.

Slowly the box rises up and Brian sees Natasha’s legs under it. “Morning, Natasha,” he calls out. “Can I get you a cuppa?”

“No, I’m in stealth mode. No tea during stealth mode. Were you and Loki on a spy date or a real date?”

“A spy date?”

“Yeah, you know, a spy date. You pretend to be on a date and then talk business and no one knows because it looks like a date.”

“Oh. No we didn’t do that.”

“Loki’s a pain the ass but he’s our pain the ass. We don’t take kindly to anyone hurting one of our own.”

“I… wasn’t planning on hurting him?” Brian replies. He needs more tea. This day is too weird, and it’s only just started.

“Are you planning on asking him to another date-date?”

“Uhh…” Brian’s not even sure that what they did the first time around was a date-date.

“He did ask you first, it’s your turn now.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. If you see Janet, tell her I’ll be in Pym Lab in an hour if she wants to study with me,” Natasha tell him, then looks up. “Rogers!”

“Yeah?” Cap asks as he aims another kick at the punching bag.

“Tony’s been in the Stark Tower lab for twenty-four hours.”

“Again?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, I’ll go put him to bed. Thanks, Nat.”

“Yep.” Natasha sneaks her way to the bush and grabs her cardboard box again. She turns to look at Brian one last time. “Why isn’t your tea exploding?”

“It’s real tea this time.”

“Boring. I’m going now.”

“Okay, bye Natasha!”

“SHHHH. I’m in stealth mode.” Natasha hisses at him, and then hides under the big cardboard box again.

Brian waits until Natasha’s turned the corner before he takes another sip of tea.

**Fury**

“How are you settling in at Avengers Academy?” Fury asks him. They’re inside Avengers Hall — Fury’s conducting a progress summary for all the new students. He’d seen him conduct one with Barnes a few minutes ago. Well, he’d heard the music. And seen the broken mug being thrown out of the window. Apparently Fury’s not a fan of emo punk.

“Everyone’s been friendly and helpful.”

“Is that right?” Fury asks.

“Of course,” Brian replies. Fury doesn’t need to know about Taskmaster dumping Tony into the fountain at Avengers Park and Tony blasting him into the Hudson. He’d deserved it.

“And I hear you’ve been just as friendly. Particularly with a certain mischief maker,” Fury’s nose flares at the mention of Loki, as if he’s just expecting someone to rush in and tell them Loki’s frozen the fountain again. And to be honest, last time, it had been Enchantress.

“Loki’s been showing me around,” Brian replies evenly.

“Loki Laufeyson is Avengers Academy’s main connection to Asgard. If he were to become unhappy here, it wouldn’t bode well for the stupid ass idiot who made him sulk. Am I being understood, Mr. Falsworth?”

“Yes, sir, loud and clear,” Brian says automatically.

“Good. Now get out of Avengers Hall. You don’t have permission to be in here!”

Brian turns around and walks out, not bothering to remind him that he’d been invited in by Fury himself.

**Amora**

Brian walks into his dorm room, drops face first into his bed with a groan. “What’s wrong with you mate?” Dane calls from the bathroom.

“Arrgh,” Brian replies.

There’s a shuffling, and when he looks up, Dane’s in front of him with aluminum foil in his hair. “What in the name of sanity is on your head?”

“Hair dye, you numpty. Seriously. Who do I need to kill with the ebony blade for you, darling?”

Brian glares.

“Too soon?”

“Yeah. _One week_ might be a tad too soon, Dane.”

“Well, I apologized, didn’t I?”

“Actually, you did not.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry that sword made me go crazy and I tied you and blonde Brian up.”

Brian keeps right on glaring.

“Oh, alright, don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m sorry I went looking for the sword even after you told me not to. Now,” Dane climbs into bed. “Boy trouble? Wait, is he a boy? Do aliens have concepts of gender?”

“Of course we do,” a voice comes from the open door. Clad in green and gold, the second Asgardian on campus leans against the door frame. “Asgardians do at least. Muspelheim, not so much. But they’re all idiots anyway. Then again, Loki’s rather fluid when it comes to gender.”

Brian breathes through his nose and pushes himself up. “That’s not the sort of information you’re supposed to just throw around. It’s disrespectful.”

“And now you’ve begun to bore me.” Amora rolls her eyes.

“You know this is the boys’ dorm right?” Dane asks. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“That’s the thanks I get for helping release that stupid sword’s power on you. Humans,” Enchantress huffs. “Listen well, spy boy, Loki is a prince of Asgard and you are never going to be worthy of him. But as long as you stick with Loki and stay away from Thor, I can promise not to kill you with a few well-placed words.”

“What.”

“He likes pistachio ice cream,” Enchantress tells him before walking out.

“What.” Brian looks at Dane.

“Well, if I were gay, I’d probably go for Thor as well, all that shiny blonde hair… Mmmm,” Dane muses. Brian kicks him out of his bed.

**Thor**

When Loki finally returns, it’s with his blonde, superbly built big brother, Thor. As in Thor, God of Thunder. As Loki tries to introduce him to the others, Thor takes one look at the dogs in Avengers Park, and takes off.

-

Janet decides it’s time for a beach party to welcome Thor. No one dares argue.

Brian gets dragged into a beach volleyball game by Jessica Drew, who’s also English and also amazing. The game ends when the obviously _not_ sleeping panther gets hold of the ball and rips it in half.

Before they know it, the sun is setting, and almost everyone else is gone. Sam, Bucky, Tony and Steve are in a cuddle pile in the sand. Nat and Jan are sleeping inside of Nat’s cardboard box. Kamala sits on the edge of the campus, feet stretching into the water. Spider-Man is talking a mile a minute, and Kamala listens while tilting her head from side to side. Thor’s snoring in the dragon chair in the pool. Brian sits in the lawn chair and watches.

It’s peaceful.

“That utter oaf.”

Brian looks up to see Loki to his left. He’s clad in his beach outfit; the horns on the hat are what make it perfect. Loki’s looking at his brother, open conceit thinly veiling fierce affection. “Come sit with me?” Brian asks.

“That chair isn’t made for two.”

“It’ll be a tight fit,” Brian admits, then takes a leap of faith. “But that’s half the fun, isn’t it?”

Loki smirks, and Brian’s only known Loki for a week and change, but he knows what he’s going to do. Loki takes a step, another, then climbs over until he’s straddling Brian. He’s welcomingly heavy, and his skin is refreshingly cool. Loki places both arms on Brian’s bare chest, running them up until both hands are wrapped around his neck, and bends down for a kiss.

Brian gasps into it – kissing Loki’s like spearmint bubblegum, it feels fresh and tingly and cold and oh he’s so glad, so glad this is happening because Loki’s lovely, and just that amount of arsehole that makes him charming.

“Well, this turned out well,” Loki says when they finally pull away.

“What?”

“Natasha said you preferred men, but I wasn’t sure.”

“We went on a date. We literally went dancing.”

“Stop talking,” Loki grumbles. “Humans are confusing.”

“Is that why you were avoiding me?”

Loki looks away, which is answer enough. “Okay,” Brian says. There’s a time for subtlety, but being a good spy also means knowing when it isn’t. He takes Loki’s face in his hands, and waits until they’re meeting eye to eye. “I know we just met, but I really like spending time with you. I’d like to get to know you better. Is that alright?”

After a moment, Loki inhales. “Does this involve more of…”

“Of what?”

Loki blushes. “That,” he says, brushing his fingers against Brian’s lips.

Brian fights back a smirk, and instead pressed a wet kiss to the finger. “It could.”

Then they’re kissing again, arms around each other’s shoulders, and it’s flawless.

-                                                    

When Brian wakes up, it’s still dark. Loki’s pressed up against his chest, his long hair tickling Brian’s chin. He’s fast asleep.

His brother however, is not. Thor is awake, and standing in front of Brian and the rising sun. Which is good, because Brian and the sun aren’t friends until his third cuppa anyway.  

“My brother finds it impossible to sleep when another is in the room. He’s known to lock and ward his room before bed,” Thor says nonchalantly.  

“I see.”

“Welcome to Avengers Academy, Union Jack,” Thor says.

“Welcome to you too, and Brian’s fine.”

“Good. I would suggest you take him to his bedroom. Enchantress can be cruel and mocking, and Loki might pretend it doesn’t bother him, but it would.”

“It doesn’t, you idiot,” Loki mumbles in his sleep.

Thor smiles and leans forward to press a kiss to his brother’s forehead. He smells like candy floss.

“No, you’re not dreaming,” Loki mumbles. “He actually smells like candy floss. It’s disturbing.”

Thor laughs, loud enough to wake everyone, and Loki growls, and there’s a shower of snowflakes from his fingertips, and it’s June but snow fights are fun, especially when everyone else gets so busy that they don’t notice Loki and Brian sneaking into Loki’s bedroom, hand in hand.

**Author's Note:**

> My favourite part of the British Invasion was Brian saying “bloody heck” instead of bloody hell. Can we have other really messed up censors? I vote for muggerfucker. 
> 
> Also I know nothing about the British superheroes. Nothing. I know Dane's not supposed to be English but... *waves canon away*
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it. Come find me on tumblr? I'm soniclipstick over there too:)


End file.
